1996 BUICK CENTURY engine overheat

If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign
of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@)
or DRIVE (D). If
you no longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If
the warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign
of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn ofthe engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the
hood but to get service
help right away.
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A C U-ION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there
is a leak. If you run
the engine,
it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fan is running. If the engine is
overheating, the fan should
be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t at ADD, add a
50/50 mixture of clean water
(preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze at
the coolant recovery tank. (See
“Engine Coolant” in the Index for more information.)
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain
water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system
is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain
water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use
a 50/50 mix of clean
water and DEX-COOL
TM antifreeze.
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I I
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other
parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant
mix.
. .. .
i.
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and
it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
1
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at the
FULL HOT mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing
you can try. You can add the proper coolant mix
directly to the raqiator, but be sure the cooling system is:
cool before you do it.
I
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How to Add Coolant to the Radiator
I NOTICE:
r
Your engine has a specific radiator fill procedure.
Failure to
follow this procedure could cause your
engine to overheat and be severely damaged.
1. You
can remove the
radiator pressure cap
when the cooling
system, including the
radiator pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no longer hot.
2. Then keep turning
the pressure cap,
but
now push down as you
turn it. Remove the
pressure cap.
Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise until
it first stops. (Don’t press down while turning
the
pressure cap.)
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there
is still some pressure left.
,A CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
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Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
I NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle
and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known
as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
)N:
I- -
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle
or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels
as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (56 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
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What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze that meets
GM Specification
6277M, which won’t damage aluminum parts. Use
GM Engine Coolant Supplement (sealer) (GM Part
No. 3634621) with any complete coolant change. If you
use this mixture, you don’t need to add anything else.
lain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning.
Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use
a 50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze.
I NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mix, your
engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mix can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don’t have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.
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rhacking Coc’mt * clding Coolant
!
The coolant recovery tank is located on the passenger’s
side
of the engine compartment.
When your engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
ADD or a little higher. When your engine is warm, the
level should be up to
FULL HOT or a little higher.
.
If you need more coolant, add the proper mix at the
coolant recovery tank.
If the coolant recovery tank is completely empty, add
coolant to the radiator. (See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.)
I-
Thrning the radiator pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and
scalding liquids to blow out and burn you badly.
With the coolant recovery tank, you
will almost
never have to add coolant at the radiator.
Never turn the radiator pressure
cap -- even a
little
-- when the engine and radiator are hot.
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Add coolant mix at the recovery tank, but be careful not
to spill it.
'B CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
and
it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don't spill coolant on a hot engine.
Radiator Pressure Cap
NOTICE:
Your radiator cap is a 15 psi (105 kPa)
pressure-type cap and must be tightly installed to
prevent coolant loss and possible engine damage
from overheating. Be sure the arrows on the cap
line up with the overflow tube on the radiator
filler neck.
When you replace your radiator pressure cap, an AC@
cap is recommended.
Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat
in the engine coolant system. The thermostat stops the
flow of coolant through the radiator until the coolant
reaches a preset temperature.
When you replace your thermostat, an
AC' thermostat
is recommended.
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